Political Science at MIT

Colleges & Universities Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

<p>How’s the social studies department at MIT? (such as political science & economics?) I know people go to MIT to study science, but I’m just wondering if there are actually people who go to MIT to study these subjects.</p>

2

<p>35 students graduated this year with degrees in economics, and 6 graduated with degrees in economics. (Degree numbers for all departments [here](<a href=“Statistics & Reports | MIT Registrar”>Statistics & Reports | MIT Registrar)</a>.)</p>

<p>Both departments are outstanding, with great reputations and remarkable faculty members. However, keep in mind that every student who attends MIT must complete the General Institute Requirements, which currently include two semesters of physics, two semesters of calculus, a semester of chemistry, a semester of biology, a lab class, and two restricted electives in science and technology. Even if you are not interested in majoring in science or engineering, you must still complete this requirement at MIT levels of rigor in order to get an MIT degree.</p>

3

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<p>Surely you meant to say that the latter is the number of poli-sci grads.</p>

<p>Otherwise, it reminds me of one Econ prof I know who would jokingly say: “Other professors may teach economics, but I teach economics”, indicating that he was going to teach us the “real” economics (at least, according to him) and not the supposedly “fake” economics that we may have learned before.</p>

4

<p>Yeah, sorry – 35 econ, 6 poli sci. (Grad school is eating my brain.)</p>

5

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<p>Yes, there are.</p>

<p>Also, there is no “social studies department”. There are various social science departments, like poli sci and econ, which are in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.</p>

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<p>Ben S. Bernanke, chair of the Federal Reserve, received his doctorate in economics from MIT. Here’s the article the Tech published in 2006, when Bush appointed Bernanke to the position: [Alum</a> Ben Bernanke Is Selected by Bush As Chair of Reserve - The Tech](<a href=“http://www-tech.mit.edu/V125/N49/49bernanke.html]Alum”>http://www-tech.mit.edu/V125/N49/49bernanke.html)
MIT’s economics department is one of the best in the nation.</p>

7

<p>I plan to do the math/economics/political science at MIT hopefully…</p>